HTTYD Saga - Destiny
by Jade Inkwell
Summary: This is Berk. It's twelve days north of hopeless, and a few degrees South of freezing to death. Home to Hiccup and Ingrid, Twins of Stock the Vast. They take a chance of capturing two Nightfuries to prove they are Vikings. But, their lives take a turn towards a new path, how will theif father and older sister react to their new life choice.
1. Chapter 1

I am re-writing the HTTYD fanfics, my firend wants a character in so, Ariella is joining the Haddock family. Hope you enjoy it.

Summary : This is Berk. It's twelve days north of hopeless, and a few degrees South of freezing to death. Home to Hiccup and Ingrid, Twins of Stock the Vast. They take a chance of capturing two Nightfuries to prove they are Vikings. But, their lives take a turn towards a new path, how will theif father and older sister react to their new life choice.

Chapter 1 – Hiccup Twins

Ingrid POV

My brother and I sat sat up in our shared room. We were silent listening to the roars outside.

" Nadder. " Hiccup said

"A gronkle, oh a Zippleback!" I smiled, a nearby dragon roared. I ducked under my covers.

"Monstrous Nightmare." Hiccup muttered. We are the youngest Children of Stock the Vast, chief of Berk. Trouble was, we were Hiccup's, Runts of the family as it were. We were noticeably different from the other Vikings in the village, but we were the youngest to have dragon wounds. Hiccup has a small scar on his chin, I have one above my right eye. I heard villagers talking about it, and Our older sister, Ariella Freya Haddock. Stories go, we were attack when we little, 1 year of age they say, the same dragon took our mother. "Are you okay?" Hiccup asked, I nodded. I wasn't to keen on dragons, but to be considered a Viking, you have to kill a dragon. The front door opened and closed. I rushed to the window.

"Dad and Ariella are gone." I said, Watching them rush into a chaoic crowd of yelling Vikings.

"Are you sure you want to help me?" Hiccup asked

"Of cause, One of us may as well be accepted." I smiled. Hiccup wanted nothing more than have dad accept him as a Viking. I swore to myself to help him, in anyway I could. We snuck down stairs, Hiccup opened the door just as a dragon swoops directly toward it, blasting fire in our direction. We slammed the door as the fire shoots through the slats of wood, illuminating our dark main room. Hiccup took my hand, I looked at him.

"Don't let go." He smiled, he re- opens the sizzling door, as leaps off of the front porch. We weave through the erupting mayhem as dragons swarmed above our village, invisible in the lack of sun light. It was so early in the morning. Dragons swarmed into our sight, setting rooftops alight and hauling off sheep. Viking men and women pour out into the streets, axes in hand. Hiccup pulled us from the line of sight of dragons and we darted through alleys, staying under eaves, making our way through the battle.

"Hiccup!" I cried, my hand slipping from his, the heat of the fires was somewhat overwhelming. Hiccup stopped and took a better hold of my hand. He was always their to look out for me, I was more of a Hiccup then Hiccup, but I had realised that father hand accepted me more as a Hiccup then Hiccup. He may not be like a Viking, But I trusted him more than anyone else in the village. Suddenly a Viking ran in front of us.

"Aaaggghhhh!" He roared, I hid behind Hiccup, then Viking then smiled "Mornin'" He grinned, before rushing off.

"Come on" Hiccup smiled, I nodded and we continued our way, rushing past gigantic men and women. Hoark the Haggare, Burnthair the Broad...Phlegma the Fierce...some of the many Vikings that...Graced our little village, That was something we lacked- grace. We rushed passed a Viking, picking his ear. Then Hiccup and I were yanked from the path of a strafing dragon and holds aloft to the crowd.

"Hiccup!?Ingrid!?" He asked, he looked accusingly at the crowd "What are they doing out again?" He looks at hiccup "What are you doing out?! Get inside!" He set up down and turns to the sky, searching. We ran for cover as an explosion nearby causing everyone to duck, Apart from our dad. Ariella walked up beside him. She shared his flaming rednhair with soft green eyes, She also had his demeanor and Vikingness.

"What have we got?" Dad asked

"Gronkles. Nadders. Zipplebacks." Ariella went through a list. "Oh, and Hoark saw a Monstrous Nightmare"

"Any Night Furies?" Dad looked at her

"None so far" Ariella told him

"Good." Soick nodded, relieved.

I watched as massive flaming braziers are raised on poles, lighting up the night sky... and revealing swirling dragons of all types. With me in tow, Hiccup lead me across the open plaza andinto an open building with a tall chimney. We go behind a counter, where Gobber, a peg-legged, one-armed hulk of a Blacksmith .

"Ah! Nice of you to join the party! On, you too Ingrid?" The blacksmith grinned

"Good morning Ginger!" I smiled

"I thought you had been carried off." Hiccup put on a leather apron and starts to put away the Vikings scattered appendages. I got out some weapons and placed them on the counter for Vikings to grab.

"Who me? Nah, come on! I am way too muscular for their taste. They wouldn't know what to do with all this." Hiccup strikes a bodybuilder pose. I laughed, Hiccup tried. I took a seat, I didn't know how to work in this place. I didn't know anything, but every little detail from the book of dragons.

" They need toothpicks, don't they?" Ginger smirked. Hiccup got to work, transferring bent and chipped weapons to the forge as Vikings crowd the counter for replacements. Hiccup had been working here since he was smaller.

"We move to the lower defences. We'll counter-attack with catapults" I heard dad say to his men. Armed men rush past, flanking others who carry sheep to safety. dad follows up the rear as, overhead, a dragon strafes the rooftops with Napalm-like response, the fire brigade charges through the plaza five teens, tugging a large wooden cask on wheels. From it, they fill buckets of water to douse the flame. Hiccup leans out of the stall to watch her. They are the other teens in the village, Fishlegs, Snotlout. The twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut. Than Astrid, Hiccup has a major crush on her. As I had on Fishlegs, But no one knew that... Hiccup tried to join them as they pass, but he was hooked by Gobber and hoisted back inside.

"Ah, come on. Let me out, please. I need to make my mark." Hiccup complained

"Oh, you've made plenty of marks. All in the wrong places." Gobber said

"Please, two minutes. I'll kill dragon. My life will get infinitely better. I might even get a date." Hiccup tried to reason with the blacksmith

"You can't lift a hammer. You can't swing an axe..." Gobber grabs a bola "... you can't even throw one of these." Suddenly a Viking runs by and nabs it out of Gobber's hand, hurling it at a dive-bombing Gronkle. The bola binds its legs, sending it into a heavy crash.I winced, poor Gronkle.

"Okay fine, but..." He rushes to the back corner of the stall and presents a bizarre, wheel barrow-like contraption. It was great! Hiccup was a great inventor! "... this will throw it for me." Hiccup opens the hinged lid of the device. An arm springs up, equipped with twin bows. They prematurely launch a bola, narrowly missing Gobber... and taking out a Viking at the counter.

"See, now this right here is what I'm talking about." Gobber said

"Mild calibration issue." Hiccup Said

"Hiccup. If you ever want to get out there to fight dragons, you need to stop all..." Gobber gestures in Hiccup's general direction "... this." I frowned, what was that meant to mean?

"But... you just pointed to all of me." Hiccup said

"Yes! That's it! Stop being all of you." Gobber told him

"Ohhh..." Hiccup said

"Ohhhhh, yes." Gobber mimicked the teen, I rolled my eyes.

"You, sir, are playing a dangerous game. Keeping this much,raw..Vikingness contained. There will be consequences!" Hiccup told him, Gobber tossed him a sword.

"I'll take my chances. Sword. Sharpen. Now." Hiccup takes it begrudgingly and lobs it onto the grinding wheel. He stews... fantasizing. I watched him, Hiccup was diferent from everyother Viking, they just didn't accept his difference.

"They found the sheep!" Stoick growled, I got up and rushed over to the counter and looked out. "Concentrate fire over the lower bank! Fire!" the catapult operator roared. Boulders are catapulted at the corralling Nadders... Just as a huge red dragon whips past, spraying the base of the catapult with sticky fire. I watched with wide eyes as it approached our father. "Reload! I'll take care of this" He said. He takes on the Nightmare, face to hammer. Suddenly, a loud ballistic sound streaks overhead. The catapult crew ducks. Hiccup looks up from his work, reacting to the same sound. I smiled, the rares and most cunning of all dragon known…

" Night Fury! Get down!" Vikings everywhere take shelter. The moaning sound builds. The Monstrous Nightmare suddenly stops fighting and takes flight. Stoick looks skyward, then jumps. The Catapult explodes as the invisable dragon... sending dad and the crew leaping for their lives. The strange thing was this dragon never steals food, never shows itself, and... The sound recedes, leaving the crippled catapult in flames...never misses. No one has ever killed a Night Fury, we don't even know what one looks like. Hiccup wants to be the first, Gobber trades his hammer for an axe

" Man the fort, Hiccup, they need me out there!" Gobber pauses, then turns with a threatening glare at us. "Stay. Put. There. You know what I mean." Gobber charges into the fray, hollering. Hiccup was standing as a smirk crosses his face. I smiled with a shake of my head' knowing what he was planning.

Hiccup POV

Ingird followed as I pushed my wheeled contraption through a wall of clustered Vikings. We weaved through the ongoing mayhem, as fast as we could go.

"Hiccup, where are you going?"

"Come back here!"

"I know. Be right back!" I called back, we reached a cliff overlooking the smoking catapult and drop the handles to the ground. I cranks several levers, unfolding and then cocking the bowed arms of my contraption. He drops a bola onto a chamber and then pivots the weapon on a gimbal head toward the dark sky. I listened, with my eye pressed to the scope, hand poised on the trigger. We heared the Night Fury approaching... Ingrid looked up at the sky as I turned and took aim to the defense tower. It closes in for the final strike, completely camouflaged in the night "Come on. Give me something to shoot at, give me something to shoot at." Hiccup muttered to himself. The tower topples. The blast of fire illuminates the dragon for a split second, Ingrid gasped, as there were two dragons. I pulled the trigger! The flexed arms snap forward, springing the weapon off the ground. The bola disappears into the sky, followed by a whack and a screech. "Oh I hit it! Yes, I hit it! Did anybody see that?" I laughed, but my victory was short-lived. A Monstrous Nightmare appears, slithering up over the lip of the cliff. "Except for you." I gasped, Ingrid grabbed my arm.

We ran from the dragon yelling, no matter where we turned the nightmare followed. Ingrid was petrified, We dodge a near fatal blast. The Nightmare's sticky, Napalm-like fire splashes up onto buildings, setting them alight. We ducked behind the last standing brazier - the only shelter available. The Nightmare blasts it, spraying fire all around us. I peered around the smoldering post. No sign of the Nightmare, I sigh. Ingrid tapped me, I turned back to find it leering at him, blocking our escape. It takes a deep breath. We are finished, I hugged Ingrid and she hugged back tightly. Suddenly, dad leaps between us , tackling the Nightmare to the ground. They tumble and wrestle, resuming their earlier fight. The Nightmare tries to toast him, but only coughs up smoke.

"You're all out" He smashes the Nightmare repeatedly in the face, driving it away. It takes to the air and disappears. Winded, dad turns to us.

The burnt brazier pole collapses, sending the massive iron basket crashing. It bounces down the hill, destroying as it goes and scattering the Vikings who were holding down the netted Nadders. The freed dragons escape... with several sheep in tow.

"Sorry, dad." I said. The escaped Nadders fly past with sheep in their clutches. The raid is over. The dragons have clearly won. The murmuring crowd eyes Stoick, awaiting his response

"Okay, but I hit a Night Fury." dad grabbed me by the back scruff of my collar and hauls me away, fuming with embarrassment "It's not like the last few times, Dad. I mean I really actually hit it. You guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down, just off Raven Point. Let's get a search party out there, before it" I tried to explain

"STOP! Just...stop." He releases me, Ingrid rushed to my side. Everyone goes silent, staring expectantly. "Every time you step outside, disaster follows. Can you not see that I have bigger problems? Winter's almost here and I have an entire village to feed!" I looks around. All eyes are upon him.

"Between you and me, the village could do with a little less feeding, don't ya think?" I muttered. A few rotund Vikings stir self-consciously.

"This isn't a joke, Hiccup!" dad sighed exasperated. "Why can't you follow the simplest orders?"

"I can't stop myself. I see a dragon and I have to just... kill it, you know? It's who I am, Dad." I told him

"You are many things, Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them." I look around to see many nods of agreement." You almost had Ingrid killed today, didn't you think of that?" I looked down. "Get back to the house." dad looked at Gobber "Make sure he gets there. I have his mess to clean up." Dad turns to Ingrid, as Gobber beagn to walk me through the walk of shame. We passed the teen fire brigade as they snicker.

"Quite the performance." Tuffnut laughed

"I've never seen anyone mess up that badly. That helped!" Snotlout grinned

"Thank you, thank you. I was trying, so..." I sighed, I avoid Astrid's glare and heads up toward a large house.

"Hiccup!" I heard Ingrid call, I turned, everyone look surprised. "Wait for me!" She ran after me, she almost trip, but I caught her arm. Holding her steady, She smiled at me. We headed to the house standing prominently on the hill above the others.

"I really did hit one." I told told Gobber

"Sure, Hiccup." Gobber nodded

"He never listens."

"Well, it runs in the family."

"And when he does, it's always with this... disappointed scowl. Like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich." I began to mimic our father "Excuse me, barmaid. I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I ordered an extra-large boy with beefy arms. Extra guts and glory on the side. This here. This is a talking fish bone." Ingrid looked down, I squeezed her hand.

"You're thinking about this all wrong. It's not so much what you look like. It's what's inside that he can't stand." Gobber told me

"Thank you, for summing that up." I sighed, feeling worse. We reach the doorway.

"Look, the point is, stop trying so hard to be something you're not." Gobber said, I sign heavily.

"I just want to be one of you guys." Gobber eyes us sympathetically. We turn and goes through the front door. I lead Ingird through the house, hand in hand, and straight out the back door. We rushed off to Raven's point.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary : This is Berk. It's twelve days north of hopeless, and a few degrees South of freezing to death. Home to Hiccup and Ingrid, Twins of Stock the Vast. They take a chance of capturing two Nightfuries to prove they are Vikings. But, their lives take a turn towards a new path, how will their father and older sister react to their new life choice.

Baby mama Valkyrie – No, you don't have to read the other ones. They were basically just the script with Ingrid added in. This has more character devolpement.

I had to change Ariella's name Freya to Dagny. I have learnt a Viking would never name someone/something after a god/goddess.

Dagny is a name from two words on meaning day, the other meaning new.

Chapter 2 – Twins together

Ingrid POV

We had been searching most of the day now, Hiccup looked up from his notebook and peeks over a gorge, expectantly. But sees nothing and adds another _X_ to the page, then scratches his pencil over the whole map in frustration. He snaps the book closed and pockets it.

"Is that everywhere it could be?" I asked frowning at the sad look on his face.

"Uggh, the gods hate me. Some people lose their knife or their mug. No, ot me. I manage to lose an entire dragon!" Hiccup whacks a low-hanging branch. It snaps back at him, hitting him in the face. I gasped.

"Hiccup, something Crashed here!" I touched the tree; there was a long trench to go with it. "looks big enough to be a dragon.

"Let's see." We follow it to a downed, black dragon, its body and tail tangled in a bola. Beside it was another dragon, identical to the first, it looked hurt badly, but the first appeared to be dead. Hiccup approaches, beaming. "Oh wow. I did it. I did it. This fixes everything. Yes!" He strikes a victory pose, planting his foot on the fallen Night Fury. "I have brought down this mighty beast!" It suddenly shifts.

"Whao!" We back off, I hid behind Hiccup , both equally terrified. I looked at the second one, It look straight at me. Hiccup turns his blade on it. Rattled, Hiccup creeps along the length of the weak, wounded dragon, dagger poised to strike. As he reaches the head, Hiccup finds the Night Fury staring coldly at him. Hiccup tries to look away, but he's drawn back to its unnerving, unflinching stare. With the dragon safety tangled in the ropes, Hiccup jabs with his dagger, puffing himself up with false bravado.

"I'm going to kill you, Dragon. I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I'm a Viking. I am a VIKING!" Hiccup raises the dagger, determined to prove his Viking- ness. The dragon's laboured breathing breaks Hiccup clenchs in concentration. I watched the other dragon, it looked straight at her, I felt something. Hiccup opened an eye, uncertainty leaking through. The dragon holds the stare. Something profound is exchanged. Finally, the Night Fury closes its eye and lowers its head, resigned to its fate. Hiccup tries to go through with it, holding the dagger aloft... fighting himself... until finally lowering it with a frustrated sigh.I turned and looked at hime.

"Hiccup?" I asked, uncertain if he was okay. This is what he wanted, right? Hiccup looked over the dragons chaffed rope wounds. "I did this…Let's go…" We turn to leave, but he pauses. And glances back at the dragon, chest heaving. Hiccup grumbles. He checks over his shoulder to ensure that no one is watching... then hurries back to cut the ropes.

"Let me help!" I smiled, drawing my own small knife and began to cut the other nightfury free. The Night Fury's eye shoots open. With the dragons watching our every move, we hurriedly saws through the bola ropes. As the last rope falls free, the Night Fury suddenly pounces. In a blur, the dragon is upon him, pinning Hiccup down, grazing his neck. The other one, just stands and looks at me. I back off, unsure whether it planned to kill us or, what. Looking like it's about to kill him, Hiccup freezes. The dragon's breath ruffles his hair. Hiccup opens his eyes to find the Night Fury's wolf-like stare boring into him. The exchange is intense, profound. The dragon draws a deep breath, as though it's about to torch him, then lets out an ear-piercing scream instead. I covered my ears, It turns and takes flight, flapping violently through the canopy of trees. It bashes against a nearby mountain side, recovers, and drops out of view some distance other on galloped after it on its paws, I noticed it's wing looked odd, I frowned.I looked at my twin, Hiccup struggles to his feet, staggers a few steps, collapses to his knees, and faints.

We enter our house to see our dad seated on a thick slice of tree-trunk. He was slouched over the fire-pit, stirring the coals with his axe. Embers waft around his beard. We decided to try and sneak past, up the stairs to our room. Dad seems none the wiser, but…

"Hiccup." He said, We froze, I continued to the next step up as Hiccup turn to dad.

"Dad. Uh..." Hiccup mutters, dad stands, takes a deep breath.

"I have to talk to you son."

"I have to talk to you dad." They spoke at the same time. "I've decided I don't want to I think it's time you learn fight dragons. to fight dragons." their voices became a mingled mess" I sat watching them, Ariella sat next to me a smiled. "What? What?"

"You go first." Dad said

"No, you go first." Hiccup insisted

"Alright. You get your wish. Dragon training. You start in the morning." Dad said, I gulped and looked at Hiccup who looked flustered

"Oh man, I should've gone first. Uh, 'cause I was thinking, you know we have a surplus of dragon-fighting Vikings, but do we have enough bread-making Vikings, or small home repair Vikings." Hiccup asked

"You'll need this." Dad hands Hiccup his own axe. Hiccup avoids taking it.

"I don't want to fight dragons." Hiccup told him

"Come on. Yes, you do." Stoick smiled,

"Hiccup has changed his tune." Ariella muttered

"we're are Hiccup's we don't do well in fighting." I stated simply

"Rephrase. Dad I can't kill dragons."

"But you will kill dragons."

"No, I'm really very extra sure that I won't."

"It's time Hiccup."

"Can you not hear me?"

"This is serious son!" Dad forces the axe into Hiccup's hands. Its weight drags him down. He looks up to see dad under-lit with firelight. "When you carry this axe... carry all of us with you. Which means you walk like us. You talk like us. You think like us. No more of..." gesturing non-specifically at Hiccup "... this."

"You just gestured to all of me."

Deal?"

"This conversation is feeling very one-sided."

"DEAL?!" Hiccup glances at the axe in his hands. It's a no-win argument.

"Deal." Hiccup gave up

"ME too! I spoke out. Dad looked at me, he shook his head.

"You need to stay safe." He told me, I sighed. Dad grabbed his helmet and duffel bag... and heads for the door. "Good. Train hard. I'll be back. Probably."

" And I'll be here. Maybe." Dad heads out the door, leaving Hiccup holding the axe. Hiccup and I sat in our room, Ariella knocked on the door.

"Ariella?" I asked, She smiled and came and sat on my bed.

"Are you two okay?" She looked at us.

"Why do you ask?" Hiccup sighed

"Just this morning you two were chased by a Monsterous Nightmare." Ariella said, Hiccup turned on his side, his back to her.

"And no, dad has basically forced him into training." I said

"I thought you wanted to kill dragons." Ariella asked

"Not anymore." Hiccup mutterd, Ariella frown and got up.

"Goodnight." She said and left us.

"Night Hiccup." I looked over at him

"Night." He answered.

Hiccup POV

Before the sun had even risen, I woke Ingrid, and we set out. Ingrid happily followed

"Isn't this exciting?" She smiled, "We must be the one vikings to ever see a Nightfury in day!"

"Yeah, but what was yesterday about, the second one didn't fly after it…" I muttered

"I think it must have landed on her wing, it looked different to the other one's wing." Ingrid said, I nodded.

There was a scale on the ground, Ingrid bent down to pick it up, suddenly something jumped up. We backed off, once it went, they looked down to see the Night Fury trying to get out.

"Wow…" Ingrid gasped in amazement. We jumped on to a closer plateform of earth and knelt down, I pulled out my note book and began to draw. I finished and looked at the dragon, I rubbed a bit off, then dropped my pencil and it rolled down, The night fury looked up, the second join joined it's side and looked too, we froze, but the Nightfuries did nothing, it just watched us. Ingrid and I looked at each other. She smiled brightly, almost as if she understand something I didn't.

Gobber raises a massive iron gate at the entrance of a vast stone arena, Ariella was with him, she was helping him train the new recruits. "Welcome to dragon training!" he said. The recruits file through the gate, and out onto the arena floor. They took it in like gladiators entering the colosseum. The walls are covered in scorched silhouettes of blasted Vikings. It's a grim place, they didn't even notice I was behind them. "No turning back." Astrid said

"I hope I get some serious burns." Tuffnut smiled

""I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back." Ruffnut grinned

"Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it." Astrid nodded

"Yeah, no kidding, right? Pain. Love it." The recruits finally turned to see me behind them. They all groaned, annoyed. Ingrid watched from outside, she watched me worried.

"Oh great. Who let him in?"

"Let's get started! The recruit who does best will win the honour of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village." Ariella called out, she looked at Gobber, who nodded.

"Hiccup already killed a Night Fury, so does that disqualify him or...?" Snotlout asked. The recruits laughed and begantalking amongst themselves.

"Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?" Tuffnut laughed. Gobber throws a supportive arm around me and ushers me along.

"Don't worry. You're small and you're weak. That'll make you less of a target. They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking-like teens instead." Gobber pushes me in line with the others and continues on toward five massive reinforced doors. I don't know if he meant those words to be a comfort, Terrible roars and bellows issue from within.

"Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight." Fishlegs bounces and giggles with excitement, barely able to contain himself. "The Deadly Nadder."

"Speed eight. Armor sixteen." Fishlegs mutter, Ingrid glanced at each door.

"The Hideous Zippleback."

"Plus eleven stealth. Times two."

"The Monstrous Nightmare."

"Firepower fifteen."

"The Terrible Terror"

"Attack eight. Venom twelve"

"CAN YOU STOP THAT?!" Gobber growled and sighed " And...the Gronckle"

"Jaw strength, eight." Fishlegs whispered to me, Gobber pulls a lever, raising the cross beam on the last of the doors.

"Whoa, wait! Aren't you gonna teach us first!?"mSnotlout asked

"I believe in learning on the job." BAM! A Gronckle thunders out of its cave, charging into the ring like an irate rhino. We scramble in every direction. Except for Ruffnut and Tuffnut who rush toward it, like pumped-up rodeo clowns. "

Today is about survival. If you get blasted, you're dead. Quick, what's the first thing you're going to need? " Ariella called

"A doctor?" I muttered

"Plus five speed." Fishlegs asked

"A shield!" Astrid said

"Shields. Go." Gobber told them. We all scrambled for shields, finding them scattered around the ring. "Your most important piece of equipment is your shield. If you must make a choice between a sword or a shield, take the shield." I struggle to lift mine, Gobber helped and pushes me forward with a friendly smile. Ruff and Tuff stand amidst a dozen shields. But only one has a skull painted on it. They both grab it.

"Get your hands off my shield." Tuff growls

"There are like a million shields." Ruff growled back

"Take that one, it has a flower on it. Girls like flowers." Tuff says, Ruffnut used the shield to bash Tuffnut's in the face. He lets it go.

";Ooops, now this one has blood on it." She holds it out to him. The Gronckle takes aim at the distracted twins. Blam! The shield is blasted out of both of their hands. Tuff and Ruff spin like tops and go down.

" Tuffnut, Ruffnut, you're out!" Ariella tells them, she walked around the edge, watching the us.

"What?!" The twins say confused and dazed. The Gronckle scoops up a pile of rocks and swallows them back. The teens gather on the far side of the ring. "Those shields are good for another thing. Noise. Make lots of it to throw off a dragon's aim." We all scoop up a weapon and begin hammering on our shields. The Gronckle shakes its head at the clatter.

"All dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a Gronckle have?" Gobber asked

"Five!" Snotlout shouted

"No, six." Fishlegs corrects him.

"Correct, six. That's one for each of you!" Gobber said

"I really don't think my parents would.." Fishlegs began, BAM! Fishlegs had his shield blasted away.

"Fishlegs, out." Ariella said. Gobber spots me hiding from the Gronckle's molten slugs.

"Hiccup, get in there!" He yelled, I went to run out, but it flew close and I back off again. Astrid was bouncing on her heels, ready to dodge a blast. Snotlout appears, trying to hit on her.

"So anyway I'm moving into my parents basement. You should come by sometime to work out. You look like you work out." Snotlout said, Astrid cartwheels out of the way, allowing a shot to shoot past her and hit Snotlout's shield. He's blasted onto his back.

"Snotlout! You're done!" Ariella called, smirking. Astrid rolls to a stop beside me, I stood awkwardly, trying to look cool.

"So, I guess it's just you and me, huh?" I said

"No. Just you." Astrid rolls away. A split-second later a lava slug knocks my shield clear off of my arm. I was exposed.

"One shot left!" Gobber calls. I panic and chase after my shield as it rolls across the ring. The sudden movement sends the Gronckle chasing after me, leaving Astrid in the clear.

"HICCUP!" Ingrid yelledgripping the bars watching as it closed up on me.. The Gronckle drives straight toward me, pinning me against the wall. It opens its mouth and cocks its tail, ready to fire point-blank. Ariella smashes a shield into the side of it's head, knocking its aim off course. Gobber lunges in and hooks the Gronckle's mouth .

"And that's six!" Gobber wrestles the irate Gronckle back into his pen. "Go back to bed, ya overgrown sausage! You'll get another chance, don't you worry." Gobberlocks the dorr, he turns to me, helping me up. "Remember... a dragon will always…always go for the kill." Ingrid rushes down tome side , looking relieved. I look overhead to see a steaming pit in the solid stone wall , my mind working over time.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Book of Dragons

Ingrid POV

I was pouring Hiccup some milk, he was worn out and slowly falling asleep.

So...why didn't you?" Hiccup muttered with a sigh

"Why the night furies didn't try and kill us?" I asked placing it by him. He nodded.

"I'm so confused right now." He sighed

"You're not the only one." I agreed "We have to learn more about it first, before we even think about going near it." Hiccup nodded.

Later that night, We left our house, to find a storm brewing. I shivered, Hiccup took my hand and we ran up to the great hall, we were soaked when we reached the doors. We laughed and Hiccup pushed open the door and we both entered

"She's right, you have to be tough on yourselves." Gobber said, all eyes turned to us. Gobber glares at Hiccup. "Where did Hiccup go wrong?" Hiccup and I looked at each other. We got our food and went and sat on another table.

"He showed up"

"He didn't get eaten."

"He's never where he should be." Astrid said

"Thank you, Astrid." Gobber stands. "You need to live and breathe this stuff." Gobber places a giant book in the center of the table. "The dragon manual. Everything we know about every dragon we know of." A rumble of thunder shakes the hall, I jump and cuddle into Hiccup, I hate thunder storms. No offence pours down outside. "No attacks tonight. Study up." Gobber exits into the storm, leaving the teens staring at the book

"Wait, you mean read?" Tuffnut gasped

"While we're still alive?" Ruffnut was just as horrified

"Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?" Snotlout growled

"Oh! I've read it like, seven times. There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face. And there's this other one that buries itself for like a week..." The teens stare as Fishlegs goes on too long, I just smiled. I wasn't the only one who knew it off by heart.

"Yeah, that sounds great. There was a chance I was going to read that..." Tuffnut began

"...but now..." Ruffnut muttered, Snotlout gets up to go.

You guys read, I'll go kill stuff." The others follow, with Fishlegs in tow.

" Oh and there's this other one that has these spines that look like trees..." Fishlegs continues going on about the dragons . Astrid is the last to go.

So I guess we'll share—" Hiccup began

"Read it." She pushes it toward him and leaves

"All mine then. Wow, so okay. I'll see you—" Slam. "Tomorrow." Hiccup sighed. I looked at him sadly.

"We can read it together!" I smiled, Hiccup smiled and nodded.

"Great idea!" He said

Hiccup POV

Later that night, Ingrid and I sat next to each other, as I open the massive book. Thunder booms outside, Ingrid trying to ignore it the best she could.. The hall is vacant and dark, but for the few candles I had pulled together. I pour through page after page of strange and frightening dragons.

"Dragon classifications. Strike class. Fear class. Mystery class." I turn the page. "Thunderdrum. This reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tide pools. When startled, the Thunderdrum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight on sight."

We looked at a lurid illustration of decapitated Vikings. Another page, another dragon.

"Timberjack. This gigantic creature has razor sharp wings that can slice through full grown trees...extremely dangerous. Kill on sight." Ingrid read, The illustrations seem to take on a life of their own, shifting and squirming in the candlelight.

"Scauldron. Sprays scalding water at its victim. Extremely dangerous." The storm outside rages against the shuttered windows. I was startled, but continue. "Changewing. Even newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight." I begin flipping through the pages. A blur of dragons... "Gronckle. Zippleback. The Skrill. Bone Knapper. Whispering Death. Burns its victims. Buries its victims. Chokes its victims. its victims inside-out. Extremely dangerous. Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight. Kill on sight. Kill on sight..." I read, suddenly they finally lands upon the page they've been looking for.

"Night Fury." Ingrid read, It's blank - no image, save for a few, sparse details. "Speed unknown. Size unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance, hide and pray it does not find you." I pull my sketchbook out of my vest and opens it to on drawing of the nightfury. I lay it over the book's blank page and consider it.

We went home, Ingrid lay down and curled up under her blankets.

"Hiccup?" She asked, I sat on my bed and looked over at her.

"Yes?" I asked

"Do you think we can study the Nightfuries? Maybe they are nice." She mumbled tiredly. I smiled and nod, She looks pleased and that and went to sleep. I lay on my back and looked up at the ceiling, could we study the nightfury up close?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Dragon friends

Ingrid POV

I stayed at home whilst Hiccup went to dragon training. I prayed to the gods to keep him safe. I was packing a small bag with lunch and some yak milk and a few fish. I swung it over my shoulder and left.

"Good morning Ingrid" Several Vikings greeted me.

"Good morning!" I smiled happily and went off to the place We had seen the nightfuries.

On my way there, I stopped. I noticed the second nightfury by a small pond trying to catch fish, I snuck out, but it heard me. It faced me growling.

"Sshh." I hushed it and opened my bag and held out a fish. It looked at it. "Here you go!" I smiled, it crept forward sniffing the fish, the took it and ate it. It sat down and looked at me as if waiting for more. I chuckled and got out another fish. "Will you let me look at your wing, if I gave you this?" I asked, It looked at it's wing. I gasped, it could understand me! The nightfury nodded, I threw it the fish and it was gulped down at once. I approached the wing, I got out a drawing Hiccup made of the wing of a Night fury, I noticed the problem. "You need to keep this wing resting…I have an idea!" I got a bandage from my bag. "This will keep it in place…do you trust me?" I asked it, I reached out my hand to it's nose. The dragon looked at me and pressed its nose into my hand, I smiled. "I'll make sure you'll be better in no time." I promised and began to bandage the wing in a position it would heal faster.

I soon finished with the wing, the nightfury was laying down, quite happy.

"so, are you a male?" I asked, it shook it's head. I giggled. "So, female, we need a name for you…" I thought about it "FRÍÐR?" I asked, The nightfury thought about it, then shook it head. "Selena?" I asked, it nodded. "Selena, I am Ingrid Valka Haddock, pleased to meet you!" I smiled, Selena made a gurling growl. I chuckled. "Let's go and see that other nightfury. I can see if I can help." Selena nodded and we walked together.

We stopped over looking a small scene, Hiccup just kicked his knife into the lake, . The dragon calmed and it approaches the fish, Hiccup was the first to notice that it's missing teeth.

"Huh. Toothless. I could've sworn you had..." A set of razor sharp teeth emerge from its gums to grab the fish. Toothless snatches and gnashes it up, swallowing it. "... teeth." The teeth retract again. Toothless presses closer with an expectant look. Hiccup retreats nervously. "Uh, no. No, I don't have any more." The Fury backs Hiccup against a rock, placing himself the same position as before. The dragon closes in over him, staring blankly. A tense moment passes... then Toothless regurgitates a chunk of fish onto Hiccup's lap. They exchange stares. Hiccup realizes what Toothless wants him to do. Hiccup crouches slowly and squeamishly picks it up. The dragon waits expectantly. Hiccup gags and gnaws off a bite of the slimy fish. He forces a smile. Toothless mimics him. Amazed, Hiccup sits up and tries to touch him. Toothless hissed and flaps off to a crash on the other side of the cove. He blasts the mossy ground to a red-hot temperature... and curls up on it like a giant dog. He turns to find Hiccup seated beside him. Toothless tolerates his persistent presence... until Hiccup tries to touch his damaged tail. Toothless snaps at him. Hiccup takes the hint and leaves. I laughed, Selena nudged me, then jumped down the rocks and over to the other one, and joined him, hanging upside down from a branch.

"You and the nightfury seemed friendly." I joined Hiccup.

"Ingrid! Where were you?" Hiccup asked worried

"With Selena." I smiled

"Selena?" He asked, I glanced over at the two nightfuries. "the one who has an injured wing…"

"I met her by a pond trying to fish. I had pack some, she let me help her wing. She is a very nice dragon. Not dangerous at all, at least, not to me anyway." Hiccup pulled a face. "What?"

" I still taste fish." Hiccup groaned, I laughed. "It's not funny!"

"I am surprised he even let you share the fish. Maybe it was a sign of friendship. " I suggested. She watched the dragons. . "Are you going to name him?

"Toothless." Hiccup answered, I nodded.

"fitting, a nightfury is the only dragon I know off that can do that with its teeth." I smiled

Hiccup POV

Twilight was soon upon us, Ingrid was trying to hang upside down from a tree, I was sketching a picture of Toothless. I was using a stick, Suddenly, Ingrid fell from her branch, Selena was soon beneath her, catching her. But Toothless came up behind me, watching carefully as I drew him.. Then Toothless walks off, I stopped and look up, Ingrid watched from Selena's back. A moment later, Toothless reappeared with an entire sapling, drawing lines in the sand. He rushes here and there, making haphazard lines in every direction. He looked at me every now and then. Finally, Toothless dropped the tree and inspects his work. He seemed pleased. I stood and take in the sprawling scribble, amazed by it. I accidentally step onto one of the lines, eliciting an instant growl from Toothless. I smiled, an idea formed, I stepped on it again. Toothless growls again. Realizing how sensitive he is, I step carefully between each line, turning round and round until I unwittingly bump into Toothless. Toothless snorts. Once again, we are face to face. I slowly extend my hand. Toothless hesitates. I turned my head away and close my eyes. After a minute, the soft touch of the scaled muzzle pressed against my palm. I opened my eyes and looked at him. Toothless looked back, then shook his head. In a flash, the dragon is gone, leaving me astounded.

Later that night, Ingrid and I had said bye to the dragons. We sat with Gobber and the recruits seated at the top of an abandoned catapult tower, toasting campfire food around a blazing bonfire

"...and with one twist he took my hand and swallowed it whole. And I saw the look on his face. I was delicious. He must have passed the word, because it wasn't a month before another one of them took my leg.

"Isn't it weird to think that your hand was inside a dragon. Like if your mind was still in control of it you could have killed the dragon from the inside by crushing his heart or something." Fishlegs said

"I swear I'm so angry right now. I'll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot. I'll chop off the legs of every dragon I fight, with my face." Snotlout said, He postures to Astrid. She rolls her eyes.

"Un-unh. It's the wings and the tails you really want. If it can't fly, it can't get away. A downed dragon is a dead dragon." Gobber said with a mouth full. Ingrid looked at me, I looked back. We both hid our faces from the others. "Alright. I'm off to bed. You should be too. Tomorrow we get into the big boys. Slowly but surely making our way up to the Monstrous Nightmare." He grinned. I took Ingrid's hand and lead her down, she followed, a little unsteady. I took her to the blacksmiths.

We enter a small room at the back of the stall. It's covered in drawings of weaponry and scale models. I light a candle and lay my sketchbook out on the desk, opening it to the drawing of Toothless. With a look of determination. I pick up a charcoal stick and re-draws the missing tail.

... a creaking leather bellows. The stone forge glows with every pump. Tongs pull intricate iron pieces from the coals. They're dropped onto the anvil, twisted, lightly hammered, and dunked in a barrel. The pieces are carried to my workbench and laid out in place on a one-to-one schematic. Ingrid places down some cloth she was working on…It's a sketch of amechanical fin.

The next morning, I was winded, straining under the weight of a full basket of Fish. He clicks the scale he found, Toothless approached us, sniffing.

"Hey Toothless. I brought breakfast. I hope you're hungry." I drop the basket and kicks it over. Fish spill out. "Okay, that's disgusting." Toothless approached, settling in to devour the feast. "Uh..we've got some salmon...some nice Icelandic cod... and a whole smoked eel."

Toothless muzzles fish aside looking, then he sees the eel. He growls weirdly. Ingrid picked up the eel and put it aside.

" No, no, no! It's okay. Yeah, we don't like eel much either." She chuckles, taking note in her book "I wonder if the other dragons like eel…" She mutters under her breath. Toothless focuses on the remainder. With the dragon distracted, I unwrap the prosthetic fin and opens it like a fan.

"Okay. That's it. That's it, just stick with good stuff. And don't you mind me. I'll just be back...here. Minding my own business." I cautiously approach the injured tail, but every time I gets near it, Toothless sweeps it away like a cat. "It's okay." I drop a knee on top of the tail. Toothless' head juts up, slows its chewing to a halt. " Okay...okay.." The dragon tenses, slowly spreading his wings. I strap the prosthetic fin in place. I cinches the straps. " There. Not too bad. It works." Toothless bolts! He snaps his massive wings and takes to the air, carrying me with him.

"Hiccup!" Ingrid called, watching in complete shock, but she help smirking.

"Woah! No! No! No!" I struggle to hold on to the tail. As the ground speeds away, Toothless immediately tips into an uncontrolled bank and dive. I looked at the folded fin rattling uselessly in opposition to its flared counterpart. Flap as he may, Toothless can't correct his trajectory. I swallow my fear and crawl toward the folded prosthetic. I reach it and pull it open. The flared, fan- like appendage catches the air, stabilizing the twist tail.

"It's working!" I cheered as Toothless arcs just short of the water and climbs... high into the air.

"Yes, Go Hiccup!" Ingrid laughed from the ground.

"Yes! Yes, we did it." I smiled, Toothless glances back at me, busily holding the tail open while trying to hold on. They're going to crash. Whoomp! I was suddenly thrown from the tail in the intense force of a turn. "AAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!" I crash into the water's surface and take a dive. I swum up and resurfaces, roughed up, but beaming. Toothless appears seconds later.

" Yeah!" I cheered, Ingrid was laughing at me, Selena roared happily.


	5. Chapter 5

Baby mama Valkyrie - you made me laugh, as usual. you got the main idea for this, i hope you continue enjoying this.

Chapter 5- the way of Dragons

Ingrid POV

"Today is about teamwork. Work together and you might survive." Ariella said. Gas seeps through the cracks of large double doors. It blasts open. A cloud of smoke engulfs the ring, swirling around the paired-up teens. Astrid with Ruffnut. Snotlout with Tuffnut. Fishlegs with Hiccup. I was watching, Hiccup and I planned to see Selena and Toothle after. All carry buckets of water, poised to throw them. "Now, a wet dragon head can't light its fire. The Hideous Zippleback is extra tricky. One head breathes gas, the other head lights it. Your job is to know which is which." The smoke encircles them, cutting them off from each other. The teens listen and watch for any sign of the dragon.

"Razor sharp, serrated teeth that inject venom for ambush attack, crushing its victims in its..."

"Will you please stop that?" Hiccup growled, I giggled. I saw the shadow of the zippleback, it was being them.

Snotlout and Tuffnut moved nervously through the fog, back to back. Snotlout is singing to himself to calm his nerves.

"If that dragon shows either of his faces, I'm gonna-" He spots a shadow in the gas "-There!" Snotlout and Tuffnut hurl their water into the fog.

"Hey!" Astrid growled

"It's us, idiots." Ruffnut growled, Astrid and Ruffnut are soaked. Ariella looked up at me, I was laughing. She gave me a look, I stopped.

"Your butts are getting bigger. We thought you were a dragon." Tuffnut said

"Not that there's anything wrong with a dragon-esque figure." Snotlout said to Astrid who elbowed Snotlout in the face. Ruffnut drops Tuffnut with a punch to the throat.

"Wait." Astrid says, They freeze. A tail sweeps out of the fog, taking them down. Their buckets spill. Hiccup and Fishlegs see the puddles of spilled water.

"Oh, I'm hurt. I am very much hurt." Tuffnut rushes by, I gripped the bars.

"Come on Hiccup..." I muttered, I began to worry.

"Chances of survival are dwindling into single digits now..." Fishlegs whimpers.

"Look out!" Hiccup said, A Zippleback head emerges out of the smoke. Fishlegs hurls his water at it, completely dousing the head. It leers and opens its mouth, spewing gas into the area.

" Oh. Wrong head." Fishlegs mutters, gas flows around their legs. Fishlegs flees in a panic.

" Fishlegs!" Gobber said. A clicking sound comes from behind them. Sparks flash in the smoke. "Now, Hiccup!" The other head sweeps out of the smoke. Hiccup hurls his water with all his might. It arcs and drops short of the dragon's sparking mouth. The dragon grins, savoring the kill.

" Oh, come on!" Hiccup signed

"RUN, HICCUP!" I cried

"HICCUP!" Gobber covered his eyes. The Zippleback hesitates. sniffs. Then retreats. The teens get to their feet, watching transfixed. Gobber peeks through his fingers to see… The Zippleback backing away from Hiccup. He stands and holds his hands out, as if controlling it. I gasped, I pulled out a notebook and wrote down about the dragons reaction to the object Hiccup decided to test.

"BACK! BACK! BACK! Now don't you make me tell you again!" Hiccup told it, I smirked. The Zippleback retreats through its door and into its cave, hissing. "Yes, that's right. Back into your cage. Hiccup slyly opens his vest, revealing the spotted smoked eel from earlier. He tooses it inside the door, then slams it shut. "Now think about what you've done." Hiccup turns to the teens and Gobber. They stare, slack-jawed "Okay! So are we done? Because I've got some things I need to..." Hiccup jogs out of the ring, past the speechless group "Yep...see you tomorrow."

I ran after Hiccup, holding my note book. A smile on my face, Hiccup chuckled.

"So, the Zippleback is also afraid of Eels... Could that all dragons fear them?" I asked

"If so, we have discovered a way to keep the dragons away from berk." Hiccup said

"But, do WE REALLY want to keep the dragons away now?" I looked at him, Hiccup sighed.

"I don't know, but I have an idea to help toothless." Hiccup smiled, I smiled too and nodded.

"I'll help." I told him

I cut and stitch shapes of leather, Whilst Hiccup draws and shapes steel. We works by candlelight,we were building a harness, complete with handles and foot pedals. We made a spare, normal saddle for Selena.

The next day, We visited Toothless and Selena, Hiccup held out the new prosthetic. Toothless ran off playfully, making Hiccup chases him down.

"Hey!" Hiccup called, I placed the saddle on Selena. She sniffed it, and looked at me curiously.

"It's okay!" I smiled and tightened it. I got into place, Selena's eyes widened, and smiled toothlessly. She began to run around, I held onto the saddle, laughing. We stopped to watch Toothless and Hiccup zoom over the ocean, the tail broke free sending Hiccup flying.

Hiccup POV

I adjusted the harness and uses a metal clamp to affix me to Toothless' saddle.

Toothless and I zip through the air - his rudimentary harness and tail controls are working, barely. We crash land in an open field. Ingrid and Selena find me , when wego to recover Toothless, he was rolling around in the tall grass. Ingrid picked up a sample. Selena joined Toothless in writhing on their backs, tongues wagging, in complete bliss. We smiled at each other.

Later that day, A Gronkle flwe towards me in training, I look at the Dragon nip - What Ingrid called the grass - and held it out in front of me, the Gronckle immediately stops struggling and goes weak in the knees. I drop the handful of dragon-nip to the ground. The Gronkle goes down with it, whimpering and blissful. Ingrid smiled at me cheerfully, I had never seen her so happy before.

I met up with Ingrid, she took my hand, we had planned to see the dragons before nightfall. Suddenly we were surrounded by the other teens.

"Hey Hiccup, I've never seen a Gronkle to that before." Fishlegs said

"How'd you do that?" Tuffnut asked.

"It was really cool. " Ruffnut agreed

"I left my axe back in the ring." I lied and hurried back, still holding Ingrid's hand."You guys go on ahead and I'll catch up with you."

Later on, I scratched Toothless behind the ear, causing him to relax, then scratches under his next causing him to pass out in bliss. I looked over at Ingrid wno was fishing with Selena. She slipped, but the dragons caught her by the back of her top. Ingrid laughed and patted Selena. I chuckled.

In the training ring the next day, an angry Deadly Nadder approached me. I saw Astrid run over to strike, I perform my special scratching technique, which sends the Nadder down. Astrid and the other kids look on from the sideline in amazement. Ingrid was Cheering next to Gothi, She beamed down at me.

Ingrid and I sat at a table to eat. The other recruits notice move over to our table to talk to me- leaving Astrid alone. Ingrid smiled, she nudged me happily. "Hey Hiccup!" Fishlegs sat next to Ingrid, who looked at her food, trying not to look at him.

"What was that? Some kind of trick? What did you do?" Snotlout asked

"Hiccup, you're totally going to come in first, there's no question. "

Late the next evening, we had gone to see the dragons again. Ingrid is drawing pictures of Selena, who was quite happily setting there. whilst I used my small hammer to create a patch of light on the ground. Toothless claws and chases the light patch like a cat chasing a laser pointer, Selena left Ingrid to pounce afternit too. The two dragons tumbled over each other trying to get the light first, Ingrid and I smile at each other.

At Dragon training, a beam lifts from the door of another dragon pen. "Meet the Terrible Terror." Gobber announced. A tiny, pint-sized dragon steps out and moves toward the recruits.

"Ha. It's like the size of my-" Tuffnut is taken down in a blur. "Get it off! Get it off! Oh! I'm hurt, I am very much hurt!"

I stop the Terrible Terror with the same light-patch trick I used with Toothless. The tiny dragon retreats back to it's cage. The teens approach me yet again , Ingrid joined me patting my shoulder.

Moments later, Ingrid and I headed the cove, but we bump into Astrid. We froze, Astrid looked at us shocked, I took Ingrid's hand and hurried away. We laughed when we were able to lose her

I strap a newly designed harness onto Toothless. With Toothless tied to a nearby post with a rope. I ride him in the air - while stationary. Toothless looked like a giant kite tied to a tree stump. This harness seems to work. Ingrid was taking note of all the pedal positions, Selena growled softly at Toothless, who seemed happy with Hiccup's help. The rope breaks and we crash into a tree. Ingrid's face is red from laughter.

"Oh, great." I said, I was stuck to Toothless. The streets are empty save for a lone Viking who crosses our path.

"Hiccup. Ingrid" He greeted us. Ingrid smiles sweetly and innocently, whileI try and look casual. Once the coast is clear, we covertly steer Toothless into the Blacksmith's stall. Toothless presses himself inside, rooting through stuff and making a racket.

"Hiccup?"I freeze, it is Astrid! I frantically try to pry the ring off the saddle hook. It won't budge. "Are you in there?" Too late - she's right outside.

"Leave it to me." Ingrid whisperes as she spots Astrid's shadow walking along the outside of the Blacksmith's.

"Astrid. Hey! Hi Astrid. Hi Astrid." Ingrid said nervously. "Hi Astrid."

"I normally don't care what people do, but you and your brother are acting weird. Well, He's acting weirder then normal." Astrid told her, Ingrid says nothing. Toothless spots a nearby sheep and makes a move toward it. As a result there was a large crash, I grab Ingrid's arm, causing her to get pulled though the shutters. I helped Ingrid on to Toothless's back and we took off, away from Berk.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Author's Note:_**

 ** _Lat update -17th July 2015, Almost one year ago. And it took me less then a day to complete the final chapters of this, from chapter 6 to chapter 12. Wow, I could have finished this ages ago. I started writing this again because I have been binge watching Race to the edge nonstop so, i decided to get this done. I will be posting all the chapters today to get this finished, I will probably start the second one too._**

 ** _Thanks for you reviews Baby Mama Valkyria and Karen Hardy, sorry to keep everyone waiting._**

 ** _I hope you enjoy the rest of this fic. Read and Review._**

* * *

Chapter 6 – Welcome Home Stoic the vast

 _ **Ingrid POV**_

I was up at dawn, packing up a satchel with fish and bandages, just in case. I was planning on checking Selene's wing today. Hopefully, it would be okay now and she would be able to fly again. Hiccup yawned and came down stairs.

"Morning Hiccup!" I smiled, looking at him

"Morning…going to see Selene early?" He asked

"Yes, hopefully her wing is better. I want to check on it, then she is going to have to strengthen it again. Just like that little bird, remember?" I told him. Hiccup smiled and nodded, remembering the little bird we found an injured bird when we were younger, I nursed it back to health and sent it on its way. "What about you? Still working on getting Toothless to fly?"

"Yes, I have the cheat sheet that had each direction to help him. We are doing a free test of it today. Without a rope, just the air." Hiccup said.

"Will you be okay?" I looked at him, slightly worried

"Yep, we'll be fine." Hiccup nodded.

"Well, I will head off now then. Selene and I will see you and Toothless later." I told him and put my bag over my shoulder and set off.

I walked through the forest, keeping an eye out to make sure I wasn't being followed. I found Selene by a pool watching fish swim around, she looked up as I approached her. She cooed and bound over, sniffing me bag.

"Hello to you too." I laughed and rubbed her head. Selene's black scales smooth under my fingers. I smiled, to think the other Vikings believed them to be monster, yet, they were not much different. They had families, and cared too. "I brought you some breakfast, and let's check your wing." I told her. I gave the night fury the fish, and began to unbandage her wing. Whilst Selene swallowed down the fish, I stretched her wing, watching it flex. Selene didn't seem to be in any pain. "Fancy giving flying a go?" I said, Selene snorted, and raised both of her wings and bound into the sky. I watched in wonder as the dragon twisted in the air, almost as if Selene was dancing. Selene landed and nuzzled me, I laughed. "I am so happy you are okay. And Hiccup and Toothless will be trying to fly together today. I hope it goes well for them." Selene snorted and turned to allow me on to her back. "I guess you want us to check on their progress, don't you?" Selene nodded, I smiled and climbed on. I held on, as Selene took off, I could feel the wing muscles move beneath her, the wind in her hair. Selene soon levelled out, she glided upon the wind. "This is amazing… I feel so…" I muttered, Selene glanced up at the human on her back. I closed my eyes and sighed "Up here, I feel so free…Is this how you feel every time you fly?" I looked down at her. Selene growled softly in reply, speeding up, hoping to find Hiccup and Toothless somewhere in the clouds.

 _ **Hiccup POV**_

I sat in the saddle, Toothless sored in the sky, the land lay out below us.

"Okay there bud, we are going to take this nice and slow." I smiled and checked my cheat sheet. "Here we go…position three…oh, no Position four" I shook my head and moved the pedal into the right position. We rolled into an arching bank as the fake tail flared out, the scene was bathed in a light of the sun. "Right, it's go time." I smiled, looking up at a towering arch of stones. We dived towards it and zipped through it. "It works!" I smiled, pleased with the fake tail. It works perfectly. Then we hit one of several sea stacks. Toothless snarled. "Sorry!" I told him, just before we hit another one. "My fault." Toothless swatted me with an ear plate. "Yeah, yeah, I'm on it." I changed the position of the tail. We exited the clouds, and I could see the whole Island before e. It was shrinking as we began to climb. "This is amazing!" I cheered, but I gasped as my cheat sheet was ripped from its clasped. "Cheat Sheet!" I yelled "Stop!" I was able to grab the sheet, but Toothless stopped and the clasp holding me to the saddle came undone. I began to fall. I yelled directions to Toothless, after being hit with his wing and several near misses, I was able to get back in the saddle and in time to pull him out of the dive, barely shy of the tree tops. I yelled as Toothless roared. I gasped, we were heading towards jutting sea stacks. In a spilt second choice, I threw the cheat sheet and steered the tail on instinct. We were able to avoid each stack, twisting around each of them. Soon we were free of them. "YEAH!" I cheered happily. Toothless let out a blast of fire, and we were heading straight for it. "Oh, come on…" I sighed.

I sat with Toothless on a small, deserted beach. Selene and Ingrid land, both laughed at my scorched hair look.

"Do I want to know what happened?" She asked with a smile.

"Instinct flying after losing my cheat sheet. Then this guy though it was a clever idea to blast the air and fly into it." Hiccup explained, the girl began laughed, I gave them a look. "It's good to see you in the air again Selene." I looked at her, Selene cooed smugly and shot a blast into the sky. Toothless snorted and invited his sister to share his fish, but as Selene was about to take one, when one popped up and began walking away, the dragons and Vikings watched as a terribly terror was dragging away a fish. Toothless snarled and tugged the fish away. The Terror went to blast toothless. The twins watched as the Terror built up gas, Toothless swiftly blasted the Terror in the mouth. It wobbled on its legs.

"They aren't fire proof on the inside…" Ingrid muttered.

"Yeah, that's new. Here you go." I gave the small dragon my fish. It gobbled it up happily and it came to my side, happily. "Everything we know about you guys…is wrong." I looked at Ingrid, she seemed to have the same thoughts as me.

Back at home, I was lost in thought, I lay my head on my desk that was covered with Toothless drawings. I felt as if I was burdened with the weight of the world. Suddenly, I jumped to my feet as I noticed my dad in the door way.

"Dad! You're back!" I skirted the bench, blocking my drawings from his sight, brushing them together. "Gobber's not here, so..." I tried to strike a casual pose, trying to cover up as much as possible.

"I know. I came looking for you." Dad replied

"You did?" I asked, nervously

"You've been keeping secrets." Dad said sternly. I could feel my legs almost give out. He slides, dragging the table's contents with him.

"I... have?" I asked

" Just how long did you think you could hide it from me?" Dad looked down at me.

"I don't know what you're..." I began

"Nothing happens on this island without me hearing about it." Stoic told him

"Oh?" I felt lost, why did Ingrid agree to go through the book of Dragons with Fishlegs?

"So, let's talk about that dragon." Blood drains from my body.

"Oh gods. Dad I'm so sorry. I was going to tell you. I just didn't know how to-" I stammered, Dad started laughing. Big, booming. I stared at him, completely baffled. "You're not...upset?"

"What?! I was hoping for this!" Dad smiled, I looked really surprised.

"Uh...you were?" I asked

"And believe me, it only gets better! Just wait till you spill a Nadder's guts for the first time. " I began to realise my dad didn't really know about Toothless. "And mount your first Gronckle head on a spear. What a feeling!" Dad laughed and smacked me on the shoulder, sending me into the wall. "You really had me going there, son. All those years of the worst Viking Berk has ever seen! Odin, it was rough. I almost gave up on you!" I got back up, grimacing in the irony of it all. "And all the while, you were holding out on me! Thor almighty!" Dad grabbed a stool and sits. His massive frame nearly fills the tiny room. "Ahhhhh. With you doing so well in the ring, we finally have something to talk about." Dad smiled, there was a pregnant pause, I averted my gaze nervously. Dad adjusted, awkwardly clearing his throat. After a long, uncomfortable silence... "Oh, I... brought you something." He presented a horned helmet. "To keep you safe in the ring. "

"Wow. Thanks." I accepted it, looking it over.

"Your mother would've wanted you to have it. It's half of her breast plate." Dad tapped his own helmet and smiled. "Matching set. Keeps her close, y'know?" I eyed the mismatched helmets, grimacing.

"Wear it proudly. You deserve it. You've held up your end of the deal." Dad beamed with pride. I squirmed uncomfortably, I pretended to yawn.

"I should really get to bed." I said

"Yes! Good! Okay. Good talk. See you back at the house. We should do this again. I'm Great. Thanks for stopping glad I stopped by, I hope you by. And for the... the uh, like the hat. breast hat." Dad and I talked over each other.

"Well... uh... good night. " Dad was about to leave the room, when he turned and looked back at me. "Where's your Sister?"

"Reading the book of Dragons with Fishlegs. She has got a lot more information about dragons to add. She wanted to show you as soon as you got back." I said. Dad nodded, then left the room awkwardly, leaving me alone, and feeling even more burdened then ever...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Secret out

 _ **Ingrid POV**_

I stood next to Dad as we were watching the final day of Dragon training, today was the day, Gothi, the village elder would decide who would get to take the final test and killed the Monstrous Nightmare. I was really worried, because, if Astrid won, she would kill the dragon, but If Hiccup did, he would have too, and I knew he couldn't. I felt dad put a hand on my shoulder, I looked up at him.

"He'll be just fine." He smiled

"Yeah, I know." I looked back at the arena. A Gronckle hovered above the ring, hunting the teens as they rushed to assemble. Astrid ducks behind a barrier to find Hiccup already there. She forces her axe at his throat. I frowned, I couldn't hear what was being said, but it was quite clear she was threatening him.

"You got it Astrid!" A Viking cheered from somewhere nearby. Hiccup stood and looks around. He looked at me and Dad, I noticed Dad was beaming with pride, I just looked at him worriedly. Hiccup adjusted his new helmet and forces a half-hearted smile. Unbeknownst to Hiccup, the Gronckle spots him and makes a bee-line toward him. I gasped, and covered my mouth, Hiccup…, as the Gronkle got close enough, he scratched it in the way that caused them to pass out happily. She sighed and but frowned, Hiccup had passed… Astrid leapt out from behind a barrier and froze to find the Gronkle already downed. Hiccup shrugged, clearly as unhappy with the situation as she is. **"NO! NO! SON OF HALFTROLL RAT EATING MUNGE BUCKET!"** A loud CLACK ring out. From the crowd above, Gothi, the village elder, steps forward, tapping her staff. Everyone lightened up excitedly.

 **"** Wait! Wait!" Dad called, everyone fell quiet.

"So, later." Gobber snags Hiccup as he attempted to leave. I sighed, I already knew Gothi's choice. I snuck off, I was going to Toothless and Selene.

I found the two dragons napping in a tree at the grove. They looked at me as I approached them. Selene jumped down and rushed to my side.

"Hey girl. Good to see you too. Hiccup should. Be here soon, he won't be in a good mood though." I sighed.

Sure enough, Hiccup arrived in a clear mood. Me and the dragons were resting in the shade, Hiccup was talking about leaving, then I gasped…Astrid. I tried to keep the two dragons in the shade, but as soon as Astrid floored Hiccup, I couldn't stop Toothless racing at her. I ran after him with Selene. Hiccup stood between Astrid and Toothless, stopping each from hurting the other.

"She's a friend." Hiccup told the dragon, Toothless snorts in disagreement. Astrid was frozen. Toothless looks from her to Hiccup and back to her, confused. "You just scared him." Hiccup told Astrid

"I scared him!?" Hiccup pats Toothless muzzle. "Who is him?"

"Astrid, Toothless. Toothless, Astrid. Also, that is his sister Selene " Hiccup introduced them, Astrid backed away, eyeing Hiccup, Ingrid, Toothless and Selene together with pure disgust. She turned and ran for the village.

 _ **Hiccup POV**_

"We're dead." I sighed. Obviously satisfied with Astrid's departure, Toothless turned and waddled away on his two hind legs "Where do you think you're going?"

"Hiccup, we better go after her. If she tells Dad about them…" Ingrid frowned, she was right I didn't want to think of what dad would do. I had to show Astrid what Dragons were really like.

"Saddle up, we are going after her." I told her, Ingrid smiled and nodded.

I flew on Toothless, looking for Astrid, Ingrid flew beside me on Selene.

"Hiccup, down there." She pointed.

"Toothless, pick her up." I told him, Toothless snorted, as Astrid went to jumped on a large log, Toothless caught Astrid and flew he back towards the cove, and place her on a high branch of a tree. Toothless landed on the top, and snarled at the screaming Astrid. Ingrid grimaced and Selene shook her head.

"Hiccup! Get me down from here!" Astrid yelled at him

"You have to give me a chance to explain." I told her

"I'm not listening to ANYTHING you have to say!" Astrid growled.

"Then I won't speak. Just let me show you." I extended a hand towards her, hoping he would allow me to show her.

"Please, Astrid." Ingrid asked. Astrid eyed them and the dragons, then the ground far, far below. After a moment, she swatted my outstretched hand away and reluctantly climbs over the pedal, lines, and harness. She settled in behind me, avoiding as much contact as possible.

"Now get me down." Astrid said

"Toothless? Down. Gently. " Toothless leers mischievously. Ingrid found herself smiling, Selene snorted. He spread his wings slowly. With a whoop, his wings were filled with the updraft. Toothless released the tree, tucked in his legs, and hovered in place. "See? Nothing to be afraid of." I began, then Toothless suddenly launches himself straight upward. Astrid screamed, Ingrid chuckled and patter Selene's head, and the second Night fury followed her brother into the sky. The acceleration was tremendous. Every downbeat bucked the saddle, heaving us into the sky, doubling our speed like a rocket. Astrid was thrown backwards as she screamed and hugged me for dear life, squeezing the breath out of me.

"Toothless! What is wrong with you?! Bad dragon!" Ingrid yelled, I looked at her, and could see her smiling whilst trying to act serious as Selene kept up with her brother.

"He's not usually like this. Oh no..." I said. Toothless rolled and plummeted toward the coastline far below. Astrid screams, I held on as Toothless rocketed over the ocean waves, deliberately dipping us in the froth. "Toothless, what are you doing?! We need her to like us!" I yelled desperately. Toothless rocketed skyward and begins tumbling head over tail. "And now the spinning. Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile." I groaned, Astrid clamped her hand over her eyes.

"Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Just get me off of this thing." Astrid was defeated, her aggressive energy gone. Satisfied with her apology, Toothless relented levelling off and head up into the clouds. Astrid opened her eyes again, and looks out over a world she'd never dreamed of. She reached out and touched clouds, pierces columns ablaze in golden hues, and floats over a vast, alien sky-scape. I looked back and saw her terror was replaced by wonder. She grinned, despite herself. Toothless rises above a blanket of cloud and levels off under a starry sky. We emerge from a blanket of clouds under the dancing Northern Lights, shimmering in ribbons across the vast sky. Below us, Berk's torches flicker in the inky darkness. The new perspective is breath-taking. Astrid tucked her arms into my vest, burying her chin into my shoulder. I blushed and smiled, the moment is not lost on either of us. From Selene's back, Ingrid rolls her eyes smiling. Toothless climbed past Berk's tallest peaks and heads out over open water, leaving the village lights behind them.

"Alright I admit it. This is pretty cool. It's... amazing. He's amazing. They are amazing" Astrid carefully reached down and pats Toothless' side. "So, what now? " I groaned, it was a problem without an answer. "Hiccup, your final exam is tomorrow. You know you're going to have to kill..." Astrid lowered her voice. "... kill a dragon."

"Don't remind me. " I sighed. A strange, unearthly din approached. Toothless' ear plates suddenly stand on end. Panicked, he abruptly dives, dipping into cloud cover. Selene follow him.

"Selene… What's wrong?" Ingrid asked

"Toothless! What's happening? What is it?" I looked down at him, Toothless barked at me, obviously telling me to be quiet. Suddenly, out of the dense cloud, a Monstrous Nightmare emerges. "Get down!" we all ducked. The Nightmare calls out, a Zippleback appeared to the other side of Toothless, boxing him in.

"What's going on?" Astrid asked, Ingrid looked over at me, I glanced at her worried.

"I don't know." I admitted, what was going?


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - The Dragon's nest and the hiccup

 _ **Ingrid POV**_

"Toothless. You've got to get us out of here, bud." Hiccup told him and Toothless hissed at him, I stayed close to Selene's back, making myself as small as possible as around us other dragons appreaded. They had previously been invisible in the thick clouds. I could only believe there was hundreds of them, all of them seemed to becarrying fish and game in their talons.

"It looks like they're hauling in their kill." Hiccup said and Astrid nodded in agreement, I flinched as a Zippleback seemed to eye us ravenously. I then frowned and straightened up in the saddle.

"What does that make us?" Astrid asked

"I don't understand..." Hiccup and Astrid looked over at me, as I eyed all the dragons around us.

"What's not to understand?" Astrid growled. "They are hulling in their meal."

"If that is their kill... Why does it look like they haven't eaten before? If this was THEIR kill, they would have eaten by now..." I said, I shook my head. "This doesn't make any sense…" I gasped as Selene and the other dragons suddenly banked and dived in formation, plummeting through the thickening fog and weaving between towering, craggy sea stacks. We emerge at the base of a massive volcanic caldera, glowing with rivulets of lava. The flock of dragons fall into rank, funnelling through a crack, I had to press myself against Selenes back to make sure I diddn't hit my head, or get knoecked off by another dragon. We zipping through a winding tunnel. It geave way to a vast, steamy inner chamber, tiered with rocky shelves. Dragons of all breeds lay about, nested in hordes, I reached into my bag and took out my note book and began documenting the place, drawing it. The arriving dragons fly in, dropping the fish and game into a central pit, glowing red and shrouded in mist. Amazing everyone

"What our dad wouldn't give to find this." Hiccup muttered, Toothless and Selene peeled away from the procession, landing on a small shadowy shelf to keep a low-profile. Hiccup and Astrid peek around, taking in the busy hive of sorts. They watch as the food continues to be dropped into the pit. "It's satisfying to know that all of our food has been dumped down a hole." Hiccup Said as I finished my documentation.

"They're not eating any of it." Astrid muttered.

"I told you, this doesn't make sense!" I told them, putting y notebook back. Last to arrive is a dim-witted Gronckle, it hovered over the pit and regurgitates his paltry contribution - a pathetic little fish. We watched as it fell into the steamy pit, a terrible ROAR rings out. The Gronckle tries to flee, but before it can, a gargantuan dragon head juts from the steamy pit and snaps it out of the air. Swallowing it back whole. Hiccup, Ingrid and Astrid recoil, terrified. "What is that?" I gasped. The monstrous beast sniffed the air, seemingly aware of them. It nears the ledge where Toothless and Selene was hiding... and roared. Several dragons take flight in fear.

"Alright buddy, we gotta get out of here. Now!" Hiccup said, Toothless takes flight, barely evading the monster's snapping jaws. Selene evade the giant dragons jaws too. The behemoth dragon lunges for them, snatching a Zippleback out of the air instead. The Night furies dived into the winged exodus as thousands of dragons flee the caldera in fear.

 _ **Hiccup POV.**_

"No, no, it totally makes sense. It's like a giant beehive. They're the workers... and that's their queen. It controls them." Astrid said, Hiccup and Ingrid watched as she leaps off of Toothless and runs toward the village. "Let's find your dad."

"No, no! Not yet. They'll... kill Toothless." I stopped Astrid when she suggested telling our father, Ingrid looked over. "Astrid, we have to think this through carefully." I said, Ingrid nodded in agreement, Astrid eyed them, incredulous.

"Hiccup, Ingrid, we just discovered the dragons' nest...the thing we've been after since Vikings first sailed here. And you want to keep it a secret? To protect your pet dragons? Are you serious?" Astrid looked at us. I stood firm, and nodded.

"Yes." I said

"Astrid, we never really belonged anywhere, not with the Vikings, the village…then, we met these guys and, well… I feel so much stronger when I am with her." I watched as Ingrid hugged Selene. "I don't want to loose them." Astrid seemed at little taken back with her reply.

"She has a decent point Astrid, I was only able to deal with the dragons in the ring because what Toothless had taught me, I don't want to loose him either." I agreed. I looked at her.

"Okay." Astrid said, looking between them "Then what do we do?" Ingrid smiled, it had worked after all.

"Just give me until tomorrow. I'll figure something out." I told her

"Okay." Astrid punched me in the arm. "That's for kidnapping me." I looked over at Toothless, Selene and Ingrid for support. Toothless snorted, dismissing his concerns and Ingrid shrugged, patting Selene's head. Astrid then grabbed me, I expect her to hit me, but was surprised as she kissed me on the cheek. "That's for, everything else." In the awkward wake of the moment, Astrid hurried off... leaving me rubbing his cheek, stunned. Toothless hobbled up to his, the dragons and Ingrid looked at him.

"what are you looking at?" I asked, blushing. Ingrid chuckled, Toothless and Selene snorted. The twins bade a quick good night to the dragons and they began to head to their home.

"Hiccup, what are you going to do tomorrow…what is your plan?" Ingrid asked me.

"The only thing I can, I need to show everyone that Dragons aren't as murderous as they all believe. I am just not sure how yet." I told her, we snuck in. Dad and Ariella were fast asleep, they went into their room.

"Just, try not to get killed…okay?" Ingrid yawned, she got into her bed and snuggled under the covers.

"I'll try." I smiled, Ingrid soon went to sleep. I looked out of the window and sighed. Tomorrow was going to be a long and a very hard day. I had no idea how to prove they weren't so dangerous, I was afraid of how everyone was going to react. I was afraid of how dad was going to react, was he going to be surprised, or…I shivered, I really didn't want to work out it. I would just have to figure out the main plan before the test tomorrow. I lay down and feel asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – The final test

 _ **Ingrid POV**_

The next morning, I went down to the grounds with Ariella as Dad and Hiccup had gone down earlier. The grounds had been transformed. Banners and flags flapped in the morning sun. Surrounding the ring, a festive crowd had gathered. All of Berk has turned out for the event. I sighed as we joined our dad.

"Well, I can show my face in public again." Dad spoke to the whole village. There was laughter and cheering. "If someone had told me that in a few short weeks, Hiccup would go from being, well... Hiccup, to placing first in dragon training...I would've tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad. Yes! And you know it! But here we are. And no one's more surprised..." I looked down, and spotted Hiccup by the entrance of the grounds "... or prouder than I am. Today, my boy becomes a Viking. TODAY, HE BECOMES ONE OF US!" His speech was followed by more cheers and roars.

"Dad…Can I go and check on Hiccup, I bet he is pretty nervous." I asked, I didn't wish to stand with the crowd. They could easily get aggravated by what Hiccup was planning to do, and she didn't want to get caught in that.

"Okay, but don't enter the grounds." He nodded, I rushed down to my twin and hugged him.

"Hiccup…" I sighed, and let him go "Please be safe…"

"Be careful with that dragon." Astrid told him, coming up behind them.

"It's not the dragon I'm worried about." Hiccup sighed, I looked up at the crowd, they were my biggest worry.

"What are you going to do?" Astrid asked

"Put an end to this." Hiccup answered. "I have to try. Astrid. If something goes wrong... just help Ingrid make sure they don't find Toothless or Selene… I can't let them get hurt…"

"I will. Just promise me it won't go 'wrong.'" Astrid promises, Hiccup nodded, Gobber approached them.

"It's time, Hiccup. Knock him dead." Gobber smiled, Hiccup puts his helmet on and enters the ring. The other teens are hooting and hollering from the stands. I gripped the bars as they closed behind him. Astrid placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Astrid… I am afraid…" I looked at her, I just wanted to cry over this whole affair.

"Me too…" She said "But, he'll be okay, he has to be."

"Show 'em how it's done, my man!" Tuffnut cheered from the crowd, the rest of the teens were up there, watching excitedly along with the rest of the village. I watched Hiccup take a deep breath. He hoists a shield onto his forearm and selected a small dagger as his weapon.

"Of course he would pick a small weapon." I muttered, "It's not like he is going to fight the dragon head on…" Hiccup turned to face a bolted, heavy door and took a deep breath. This was it, I began to shake, please be careful Hiccup…

"I'm ready." Hiccup called out, and the door bolt was raised. The crowd grows quiet...BOOM! The doors blast open with a stream of sticky fire. Followed by a Monstrous Nightmare, coated in flames.

 _ **Hiccup POV**_

I watched as the Dragon tear out of its cave like an irate bull - as the crowd roared. It climbed the walls and chained enclosure like a bat, hissing at the provoking crowd and blasting fire. It looked down and spotted me. It descended to the ground, leering at me as it licked the flaming drool from its lips. The crowd grew silent, bracing for the big fight. With the Monstrous Nightmare's eyes locked with mine, I deliberately dropped my shield and dagger stepping away from them. The dragon pauses, confused. The crowd was also confused.

"He did that when we first met Toothless up close." I heard Ingrid mutter to Astrid "We never did find his knife in that lake." The dragon pressed closer, snorting. I extended my open hand. It snarled at me in warning.

"It's okay. It's okay." I told it with a calm tone, the dragon continued to pace, it's eyes focused on my head, y helmet. I slowly reached up and removed it. I took a breath to acknowledge the point of no return, I tossed the helmet aside. It hits the ground with a dull clunk. " I'm not one of them." I told it, I could hear the gasps and murmurs race through the crowd. I could feel my dad's glare, but ignore it, I had to remain focused on the Nightmare, holding my hand out. It paces around me, calming down.

"Stop the fight." I heard Dad shout

"No. I need you all to see this." I replied, the crowd began to get restless. "They're not what we think they are. We don't have to kill them."

"I SAID STOP THE FIGHT!" Dad roared. He whacked his hammer against the iron enclosure, rattling the arena with a terrible reverberating clatter. It spooked the Nightmare, and it snapped at my hand. I yelped and jumped back, oh no… it reacted to my sudden movements and blasted a stream of fire. I was barely able to dive out of reach. I scrambled around the ring with the Nightmare in pursue, snapping and springing from ground to wall. "Out of my way!" Dad commanded

"Hiccup!" Astrid called, she and Ingrid rushed in, as a narrow stream of fire narrowly missed me. I continued to dash around the ring, evading the Monstrous Nightmare. Desperate, I rushed to the weapon rack in an attempt to arm myself, but the Nightmare quickly destroyed the rack and closed in on me. Astrid picked up a hammer and hurls it at the Monstrous Nightmare, hitting it in the head. It turns its attention to Astrid, and begins chasing her, Ingrid rushed to my side.

"Hiccup." She gasped.

"This way!" Dad yelled, holding open the gate, Astrid made it through, closely followed by Ingrid, but the Nightmare blasts the doorway, cutting me off. It pounced on me. I looked up at the dragon, was this it? Suddenly, a terrible roar pierces the din. My eyes widened, no…that wasn't, it could be… I had messed up worse than I had expected…


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – The Truth of the Twins.

 _ **Ingrid POV**_

"Night Fury! Get down!" Someone yelled, I gasped as Toothless bounded over the crowd and blasted a hole through the chain enclosure. He flew through it and disappeared in the boiling smoke. The Vikings rush to railings... in time to see a flurry of wings cutting through the dissipating smoke. I gripped the bars, Astrid put a hand on my shoulder, I could see a thing the smoke, but I could hear Toothless and the Nightmare fighting, they then tumbled into the clear, locked in a toothy, vicious fight. Toothless kicked the Nightmare off and planted himself between Hiccup and the Nightmare.

"Toothless." I said quietly. The Nightmare snarled, and began circling them. Toothless lunged and roared... causing the Nightmare to relent and back away. To everyone's shock and horror, Hiccup got to his feet and grabbed Toothless protectively.

"Alright, Toothless, go. Get out of here!" Hiccup tried to push him away. The crowd is gob-smacked, growing livid.

" Night Fury!" The crowd yell. Hiccup tried to shoo Toothless away in vain as Vikings begin pouring clambering through the enclosure and dropping into the ring. "Go! GO!"

"Toothless!" I gasped, as Vikings began to run at him. I was thankful Selene wasn't there. I looked at the sky, no sign of her... she was safe.

"Take it alive!" A Viking yells, Dad grabbed an axe and charged into the arena. Astrid calls out to him, panicked.

"Stoic no!" Astrid calls

"Dad! No! He won't hurt you!" I yelled, I hopes he would hear me. "DAD!" The other Vikings surround and attacked Toothless. He tossed them aside like rag dolls, his eyes focused on Stoic.

"No, don't! You're only making it worse!" I tried to call to the crowd, but it failed. Dad raised his hammer as he charged for Toothless. Toothless ducked and pounced on him. They tumble end over end.

"Toothless! STOP!" Hiccup yelled as Toothless pined Dad down and inhale. The familiar hiss of gas builds. Everyone braced themselves.

"NO!" Hiccup and I cried together, Toothless swallows back the blast and turns to them, not understanding. I sighed, glad, but it was short lived.

"Get him!" A Viking yelled, the crowd rushed at him, piling on, and taking Toothless down. Astrid held Hiccup and Ingrid back.

"No! Please...just don't hurt him. Please don't hurt him. " Hiccup begged, I was close to tears. Dad got to his feet. He was angry and shaking. Ariella held out an axe to Dad, he took it. I gasped,a nd hid my face in Hiccup's shoulder. I didn't hear the sound of a swinging ax, I peeked up and saw Dad give the axe back.

"Put it with the others!" He said, he turned to me and Hiccup, I flinched under is burning stare. We were in so much trouble."

 _ **Hiccup POV**_

Ingrid and I were shoved into the dank, dimmed hall. The massive doors rattle and echo as it was slamed closed by dad. Dad pushed past us, he paced against a backdrop of shadowy tapestries and carved pillars - a legacy of heroes, all peering down in angered judgement. Ariella stood by the doors, wearing the look of confused disappointment.

"I should have known. I should have seen the signs." Dad growled

"Dad." I said, Ingrid remained silent.

"We had a deal!" Dad turned to me, he paused to say something, but stops short. He snorts and resumes pacing, repeating the cycle.

"I know we did... but that was before... ughh, it's all so messed up." I sighed

"So, everything in the ring. A trick? A lie?" He stomped towards me, he stopped short and points, fighting back words.

"No, Dad. By becoming friends with him, we learnt more about Dragons then you did killing or trapping them!" Ingrid said, I noticed her fists were clenched, she was so afraid.

"I know I screwed up. I should have told you before now. Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please... just don't hurt Toothless." I begged

"The dragon? That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed?!" Ariella fumed

"He was just protecting me! He's not dangerous." I told them

"They've killed HUNDREDS OF US!" Dad roared

"And we've killed THOUSANDS OF THEM! They defend themselves, that's all! They raid us because they have to!" I argued

"If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves." Ingrid added "There's something else on their island dad...it's a dragon like-"

"-Their island?" Dad stomped back... pointing an accusing finger at us. "So, you've been to the nest."

"Did I say nest?" Ingrid shrunk away, terrified. I grew silent - knowing she said too much.

"How did you find it?!" Dad asked

"No... I didn't. Toothless did. Only a dragon can find the island." I said, I was gratefull he didn't know about Selene. Dad glared, a moment passed, then an idea takes form on his face. His eyes flared. I watched, I realized his plan. Dad began to stomp towards the doorway.

"Oh no. No, Dad. No." I chased after him, panicked.

"Dad. It's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against. It's like nothing you've ever seen." Ingrid copied, we grabbed Dad by the arm, tugging with all our might. But, we had no effect whatsoever.

"Dad. Please. I promise you that you can't win this one." Ingird begged

"No. Dad. No. For once in your life, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO US?!" Suddenly, He threw me and Ingrid off of him, swatting us to the floor. Icy stillness. We stared back, stunned.

"You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not Vikings. You're not my kids." Dsd pushes through the door, Ariella frowned but followed him, leaving the us alone, devastated.

"Ready the ships!" Dad called, Ingrid bowed her head hiding tears, I hugged her as she wept. Toothless….

Broken-down catapults and trebuchets are bundled up and lowered from the cliffs. Below on the docks, Vikings load the heavy artillery into the hulls of awaiting ships. Children and the elderly gather to on the walkways to wave apprehensive farewells to the departing warriors. Lastly, Toothless is loaded aboard Dad's ship, chained down to a palette, muzzled, and restrained with a weighty neck ring. He looks exhausted, miserable. Dad crosses to the bow as the ship pushes off and joins the amassed armada of ships adrift in the harbour.

"Set sail! We head for Helheim's Gate." Dad called, we watched him from his familiar cliff-side perch byound the village, he looked up towards us. I slowly shook my head in warning, Whilst Ingrid held her hands to her heart. Dad broke the stare and turns to Toothless, fuming.

We contined to watch, even after they had vanished from sight. Astrid came up behind us. She approached cautiously and stood behind us in silence.

"It's a mess." She said, we did't respond. "You must feel horrible. You've lost everything. Your father, your tribe, your best friend."

"Thank you for summing that up." I sighed. "Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I found him in the woods. It would have been better for everyone."

"Yep. The rest of us would have done it." Astrid looked at me "So, why didn't you?" I just shook my head – I didn't really know. Astrid frowned "Why didn't you?"

"I don't know. I couldn't." I sighed

"That's not an answer."

"Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?"

"Because I want to remember what you say right now."

"Oh for the love of - I was a coward! I was weak. I wouldn't kill a dragon."

"You said 'wouldn't' that time."

"Whatever! I wouldn't! Three hundred years and I'm the first Viking who wouldn't kill a dragon!"

"First to ride one, though." Astrid added after a while. I blinked, I had never looked at it that way before. "So..."

"...I wouldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was. I looked at him and I saw myself." I answered, Astrid turned to face the open sea.

"I bet he's really frightened now." She looked at us with a strange look, Ingrid notices it and suddenly realises what she was about to do. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Probably something stupid." I muttered

"Good..." Astrid began

"But we've already done that." Ingrid said. I smiled as I suddenly had an idea

"Then something crazy." I grinned "Selene, we need her Ingrid." I raced off.

"On it!" Ingrid yelled.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – To the sky

 _ **Ingrid POV**_

I rushed down to the cove, Selene was pacing around in distress.

"Selene!" I yelled, she stopped and saw me, she bound over, rubbing her head against me. "It's okay. Toothless was taken by our dad, he's going to the nest." I told her, she snarled. "I know, but we have a plan. Time to show the Vikings, what we can do." I ran my hand over her scales, Selene looked up at me and snorted in agreement. I got on to her back and patter her side. "Let's go to the arena, Hiccup is with the other teens, trying to get them on dragons too." Selene raised her wings and took off.

We hooved above the arena, un-noticed by everyone. Hiccup helped Snotlout befriend the monstrous Nightmare, and the other teens picked out their dragons. Once they had, Selene roared and flew into the arena. Everyone gasped, apart from Astrid and Hiccup.

"She was still in the Cove, I am betting Toothless told her to stay. Or, Toothless knew you were in danger and Selene knew I wasn't." I smiled, Selene cooed slightly and nuzzled Hiccup.

"Well, at least they didn't find her." Hiccup scratched her head, a sad look in his eyes. I got off her back and approached the other dragons.

"I am glad I final have a chance to get close to these guys." I smiled, and the Gronkle. "I bet these guys are happy to get out of their cages and not have to fight. So, what's the plan?"

"We are going to the nest, if Dad forces out all the dragons…he'll force out that giant dragon too. And, I don't even want to think of what might happen." Hiccup said

"Then, let's get going." I nodded. We all got on our dragons, Hiccup got on the Nadder, Astrid got on behind him, the Twins got the Zippleback and Fishlegs got the Gronkle.

"To the nest" Hiccup looked at me and Selene. "Selene, can you lead the way?" Selene snorted and took off, the other dragons followed swiftly behind her.

"In coming!" I yelled, Selene had to swerve out of the way of loads of Dragons flying away from the direction of the nest.

"There the dragons of the nest! That means Dad has already attacked it!" Hiccup yelled. "We have to hurry!" We flew into the mists.

"Oh Gods, Dad!" I gasped, we flew on to a horrifying scene. The giant dragon had destroyed all the ships and the Vikings were running for their lives. But Dad and Gobber were trying to grab its attention. It went to attack Dad.

"Ingrid!" Hiccup yelled, I understood. Selene was the fastest. She dived towards them, and blasted the dragon in the side of the face, the others joined me. I laughed and Selene roared, I patted her side.

"Good shot girl!" I said

"Ruff, Tuff, watch your backs! Move Fishlegs!" Hiccup called, the monster shakes off the blast and snapped at us. Hiccup pointed up at me, we flew out of its reach and began to circle it, time to make a plan. "Fishlegs, Ingrid, break it down." Hiccup said

"Okay. Heavily armoured skull and tail made for bashing and clear of both." Fishlegs said

"Small eyes, large nostrils. Relies on hearing and smell." I finished

"Okay. Lout, Legs, hang in its blind spot. Make some noise, keep it confused. Ruff, Tuff, find out if it has a shot limit. Make it mad." Hiccup told them

"That's my specialty." Ruff smiled

"Since when? Everyone knows I'm more irritating. See." Tuff makes an irritating sound, whilst turning the poor Zippleback's head upside down.

"Just do what I told you. I'll be back as soon as I can." Hiccup said

"Don't worry, we got it covered!" tuff said

"Yeah!" Fishlegs nodded, Me and Hiccup peeled our dragons away.

"Selene, find Toothless!" I told her, she snorted and dived towards the ships.

"There!" Hiccup pointed out. He got the Nadder to hoover over the deck and handed Astrid the reins. Hiccup jumped on to the ship, shielding his faces from the flames. "Astrid! Go help the others!" Hiccup called.

"Good luck!" Ingrid added as Astrid and the Nadder take off. Selene and I circled the ship, as Hiccup took off Toothless' muzzle, he roared.

"Okay, hold on. Hold on." Hiccup began to tug on the chains, but couldn't get them off.

"HICCUP!" I yelled in warning, as the monster's giant foot crashes through frame, smashing the bow under its impressive weight. Hiccup and Toothless are thrown into the water in a maelstrom of burning planks and rigging. Selene landed on a rock, and I jumped off her back looking into the sea. "HICCUP!" I yelled again. Selene roared, I gasped as Dad suddenly jump in. "Dad? Was that my dad?" I looked at Selene, she looked as equally as confused. The next thing, Dad had dragged Hiccup on to the rock.

"Dad..."He muttered red, as dad dived back into the water between flaming flotsam. Toothless soon burst from the sea, dropping Dad on the floor. He landed next to Selene, the nuzzled each other. The night furies snorted at the us and we climbed into our saddles. Dad took hold of our arms, we looked at him.

"Hiccup, Ingrid. I'm sorry...for everything." Dad apologised

"Yeah...me too." Hiccup told him, I nodded

"You don't have to go up there." Dad said

"We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard." I told him

" I'm proud to call you my children." He said, stunned both me and Hiccup, we looked at each other proudly.

"Thanks dad." We smiled, Dad let us go. We rocketed up into the sky.

 _ **Hiccup POV**_

"Hiccup, Astrid is stuck!" Ingrid pointed out, the Red Death had spotted Astrid and had begun to inhale, preparing to blast. She and her Nadder had gotten caught in the suction, and was being pulled toward the monster's gaping mouth.

"Let's go." I said, Toothless and Selene flew towards the dragon, Selene blasted it in the jaw, causing Astrid to be thrown clear of its mouth... and her Nadder. She tumbled through the air, Toothless caught her. I smiled and Toothless put her down safely.

"That thing has wings!" Ingrid pointed out

"Okay, let's see if it can use them!" I pulled Toothless into a turn. We plummeted towards it, gaining tremendous speed. The wind buffeted us as they target the Red Death at supersonic speed. Toothless unloads a fireball against the Red Death's wings. It hit the ground with a rumble as we climb anew. Ingrid and I looked down, trying to see if it had followed, but our vision was observed by dust "Do you think that did it?" I asked, Suddenly, the enraged behemoth rises into the sky, flapping its wings furiously.

"Oh, Thor almighty!" Ingrid gasped.

"Well, he can. Stay close Ingrid" I said, Toothless dives into the tangled sea stacks, Selene followed close behind - we weaved through the rock like rabbits through a briar. The Red Death snapped at us, but couldn't reach. We pulled ahead as the Red Death smashes through the canopy of rock and pulled in behind Toothless and Selene.

"We are not going to lose it like this Hiccup!" Ingrid said, as we continued to weave through sea stacks. "We need a real plan, we can't out fly that thing!" I frowned she was right, I looked up. The clouds above were dark. I thought back to when I first hit Toothless and Selene…their scales meant they could vanish into the dark.

"Okay Toothless, time to disappear." I said, Toothless snorted and began to fly up, Selene followed. "Here it comes!" We narrowly dodged a column of flame and smoke. We reached the low-hanging clouds and pierced them. The monster followed, it hooved in place looked around as Selene and Toothless flew around in the dark, hidden from sight.

"Ready?" I asked, Ingrid grinned and nodded. We began to circle the giant dragon, and attacked it in a fury. Selene and Toothless dived in again and again, using the clouds to hide. The dragon roared in anger and it unleased a stream of fire. "Watch out!" I yelled, the random blast clipped Toothless' tail. It was heavily damaged; the tail began to burn. Ingrid watched it.

"We don't have much time, Hiccup." She called to me, Selene roared in agreement.

"Okay, time's up. Let's see if this works." I pulled Toothless into a turn. We flew directly into the Red Death's face, taunting it. "Come on! Is that the best you can do!?" Toothless uttered an insult too, and we went into a steep dive. The Red Death pursued us, Ingrid and Selene flew ahead, she was keeping an eye on the dragon, waiting for the right moment to arise. Toothless pumps his wings, racing faster than he's ever gone before. We were able to stay just ahead of the Red Death - no longer trying to evade it. I glanced back to check the tail - it's disintegrating. "Stay with me buddy. We're good. Just a little bit longer." The Red Death closes the gap. I tucked myself closer to Toothless and holds Toothless steady - allowing the monster to set its sights on them. It narrows its eyes. " Hold, Toothless." The Red Death opened his mouth. The familiar gas hiss emanates from his throat - ignition is coming.

"NOW!" Ingrid yelled, I hit the pedals hard as Toothless extends one wing. We pivoted in place, hurtling directly into the Red Death's mouth. Toothless fires point blank down the monster's throat. Its amassing gas is ignited, backfiring into the monster, erupting in a chain of blasts throughout its body.

"We have to get out of its way, or we're going down too." Ingrid said, as we burst from the clouds, the Red Death hot on our tails, exploding from within. It glanced forward and sees the ground rushing up. It throws open its wings, attempting to put on the brakes, but the punctured, damaged wings can't stop its momentum, Ingrid grinned triumphantly, as she looked back and saw that. As the Red Death chokes on the expanding fireball, he sees Toothless suddenly pull out of the dive, streaking up, past its head. The Red Death hits the ground, head-first. It explodes like the Hindenburg. Toothless and I weaved through the monster's massive back plates, wings, and flailing legs - a high-speed recall of the free fall slalom run. Selene and Ingrid were ahead of us. The expanding fireball races towards us, about to swallow them. We manage to clear the obstacles. I glanced back, we were outrunning the fireball.

"HICCUP!" Ingrid yelled, I looked forward just in time to see the monster's massive club tail careening toward them. I tried to shift our direction. The last shreds of Toothless' tail tear away and the pedals go dead.

"No. No." I gasped, we couldn't manoeuvre – we were dead in the air. The giant club tail clips Toothless, I was knocked from the saddle, the last thing I saw as I fell towards the inferno was Toothless trying to reach me, and Selene with Ingrid diving to aid them both. "no…" I whispered and everything went blank.


	12. Chapter 12

**_Author's note: So, this is end of this fic, finally. I will be working on the second of the saga, which will by called HTTYD Saga - Hope. Keep an eye open for it.  
_**

* * *

Chapter 12 – Home sweet Home

 _ **Ingrid POV**_

I woke to find myself at home…Home, I blinked too un-blur my vision, then tried to get up. But, I gasped in pain.

"Ingrid, stay lying down." Ariella was at my side, I looked at her.

"What…what happened…Hiccup!" I gasped

"He's okay, you are both fine. Thanks to your dragons." Ariella smiled.

"Where is Selene and Toothless…are they okay?" I asked

"They are fine." She nodded, she helped me sit up. The door opened and dad entered, he looked relieved.

"Ingrid, I am so glad you are awake." He came to my side. He carefully hugged me. "You really had us all worried." I looked next to me to find Hiccup lying there, breathing calmly as he slept. Toothless and Selene were sitting in the rafters.

"Um, Dad…" Ingrid began.

"They are welcome here. You and Hiccup made us all see." Dad said.

"what do you mean?" I looked at him.

"Can I should her dad?" Ariella asked excitedly, he nodded. Ariella opened the door and whistled, a Nadder came to her. It was red and pink n colour, it nuzzled her happily.

"You have a dragon too?" I asked

"Everyone does, everyone has their own dragon, how cool is that?" Ariella smiled, Selene crawled to my side and nuzzled me.

"It is pretty great…" I looked at my hands, my skin was red, and lumpy, burns…

"You dived into the inferno to help Toothless and Hiccup... Selene was able to keep you safe from the rest of the fire, but, you received a lot of burns…" Dad said, he carefully took my hands. "You were very brave…"

"C-can I get some fresh air...?" I asked. Dad nodded, he picked me up, and put me in Selene's saddle, I held on carefully, as Ariella and her Nadder stepped away from the door and let Selene walked out. I looked back at Toothless, who stayed at Hiccup's side. "What happened to Hiccup? I got burns…" I began.

"He lost his leg, Gobber made him a new leg and Toothless a new tail." Ariella told me.

"Keep an eye on her Ariella." Dad said

"I will, lets got for a little fly." Ariella got on her Nadder and she took off. Selene snorted, she carefully took to the sky. People cheered and waved to me below. Dragons were all over berk.

"Hiccup's going to have a heart attack when he sees this." I chuckled. The other teens flew around us.

"Hey, good to see you up!" Astrid smiled, from the back of her Nadder. "Meet Stormfly."

"Nice." I smiled, Fishlegs called his Gronkle MeatLug, then there was barf and belch, the Nut twins Zippleback and Hookfang, Snotlout's Nightmare. I loved this, peace at last.

 _ **Hiccup POV**_

I woke up to Toothless nuzzling me. "Oh, hey Toothless." He nudged me happily. "Okay, okay! I'm happy to see you too, bud. Now just-" Toothless stepped on my groin, causing me to sit bolt upright with a yelp. I looked around, confounded. I was in my bed, it had been moved beside the fire pit on the main floor of his house. "I'm in my house." I looked at Toothless, who was leaning over me, excited. "You're in my house." Toothless tore around the room, knocking things over, far too big for the space. "Uh...does my dad know you're in here?!" Toothless pauses at the foot of the bed, tongue wagging. He eyes the rafters... and leaps up onto them, brimming with 'happy dog' energy. "Okay, okay - no Toothless! Aw, come on... " I shifted to get out of bed and something felt of. I peeled back my bed covers and my heart sunk. My booted foot touched down on the floor, then followed by a mechanical prosthetic in place of my second leg. It was an ingenious spring-loaded replacement, made of wood and iron. Toothless landed by the bed and approaches calmly, sniffing the new leg. He raises his eyes to meet me, he was seemingly aware of what I was going through. I braced myself on the bedpost and tried to stand on it. I winced and stifled the pain... "Okay...okay..." I had this, but stumbled with the first step. Toothless caught my fall with his head... and slowly lifted me up, stabilizing me. "Thanks bud. " I had to lean on him like a crutch. We took a few steps together. We made our way toward the door, I opened it to reveal a Monstrous Nightmare flapping outside the door. I yelped and slammed the door closed. I turned to Toothless, alarmed. "Toothless? Stay here, bud." I paused, before cracking the door open again. I peeked outside, my eyes widening. I let the door swing open as I noticed it was Snotlout on the back of the nightmare.

"Come on guys, get ready! Hold on tight! Here we go!" A class of newbie dragon riders followed him through the sky, I saw Vikings and dragons mill about by the dozen, basking on the rooftops, weaving along the plaza. No one seems upset, there isn't a sword in sight. Under the framework of a massive barn, a Nadder blasts fire onto a metal brace. It steps back to let a Viking hammer it into shape. Nearby, a Gronkle landed, carrying a tree trunk in his mouth. He showed a Viking what he's found. The Viking patted his head. Another Viking backs a Zippleback into a stall to check it for size. I took a step outside, Ingrid was on the step, sitting in Selene's saddle. She smiled at me, I noticed burns over her hands and arms.

" I knew it. I'm dead. " I said. Dad laughed

"No, but you gave it your best shot." Dad smiled, He puts his arm around me, steadying me. He gestured to the transformed village. "So? What do you think?" I just shrugged, amazed. Below, the plaza, villagers noticed me.

"Hey look! It's Hiccup!" They rush over, surrounding him with a hero's welcome. "Hiccup, how you doin' mate?"

"It's great to see you up and about."

"It was over welling for me too." Selene told me, getting off Selene's back and nudged me playfully.

"Turns out all we needed was a little more of..." Dad gestured non-specifically at me "... this."

"You just gestured to all of me." I smiled

"Well. Most of you. " Gobber pushed through the crowd, beaming proudly. "That bit's my handiwork. With a little Hiccup flare thrown in. Think it'll do?"

" I might make a few tweaks." I looked at my fake leg, everyone laughed. Astrid appeared and jabbed me in the arm. I recoiled with a grumble. "That's for scaring me.

"What, is it always going to be this way? Cause I..." I began, she grabbed me aggressively... then kisses me. Hoots and hollers follow. "... could get used to it. Gobber presented me with a rebuilt saddle, rigging, and tail.

"Welcome home." Gobber smiled. Suddenly, A door opened...

"Night Fury!" Toothless pounces on the crowd, crushing several Vikings under his weight. Toothless eyes the new tail excitedly, tongue wagging. Amidst the groans and grumbles, Ingrid, Astrid and I exchange a sheepish grin.

I got on to my new saddle, my prosthetic foot, snapped into the modified stirrup. The two pieces click together, forming a single shape. Astride Toothless, I was whole again. I rotated the pedal. The new tail opens. Bright red with a skull and Viking horns emblazoned on it. I approved of it. Finally, all saddled up and ready to fly. Astrid backs her Nadder into position. "You ready?" I asked, Toothless snorts an excited 'yes!' From his back, I looked out over the changed world.

 _'This... is Berk. It snows nine months of the year... and hails the other three. Any food that grows here is tough and tasteless. The people that grow here are even more so. The only upsides are the pets. While other places have...ponies or parrots, we have...'_ Me, Ingrid and the other recruits stood on a cliff edge with our dragons _' ... dragons.'_


End file.
